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Area of Science:

  • Paleoclimatology
  • Geochemistry
  • Earth System Science

Background:

  • The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) (~56 million years ago) was a period of rapid global warming and significant carbon release.
  • The precise trigger and involvement of multiple carbon reservoirs during the PETM remain debated.
  • Previous studies suggest volcanic activity but lack direct evidence for the trigger and subsequent carbon release mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the trigger of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and investigate the role of multiple carbon reservoirs.
  • To provide direct geochemical evidence for volcanism and carbon release during the PETM.
  • To explore the concept of Earth system 'tipping points' in the context of past climate change.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of mercury (Hg) to organic carbon (Corg) ratios in two North Sea sedimentary cores.
  • Using Hg/Corg as a proxy for volcanism to reconstruct volcanic activity preceding and during the PETM.
  • Correlation of geochemical data with existing paleoclimate records.

Main Results:

  • Elevated Hg/Corg ratios were found preceding and within the early PETM, indicating pulsed volcanism from the North Atlantic Igneous Province.
  • This volcanism likely initiated the PETM and sustained elevated atmospheric CO2 levels.
  • A concurrent mercury low at the PETM onset suggests additional carbon reservoirs were destabilized by initial warming.

Conclusions:

  • Pulsed volcanism from the North Atlantic Igneous Province was a likely trigger for the PETM.
  • The PETM involved at least two distinct carbon release phases, with volcanism initiating the event and subsequent warming triggering other reservoirs.
  • The findings support the existence of climate 'tipping points' that can lead to cascading carbon releases and extreme warming events.